Sport

Sport at Cliff School

Sport at Cliff School involves everybody and is taught by a dedicated fully qualified and experienced physical education teacher. We use onsite facilities such as our fully equipped gymnasium at Bar Lane and our netball court and hall at Leeds Road.  We make use of outstanding local facilities such as College Grove hockey pitch (all weather), Normanton Swimming Pool, Thornes Park Athletic Stadium (which is also used for Sports Day) and Pugneys Country Park for sailing, kayaking, canoeing and raft building.

Children at Pre-Prep are taught gymnastics, dance and ball skills during their P.E. lessons.  Football, hockey, rugby, athletics, rounders, cricket and cross-country running are taught during games lessons using College Grove all weather pitch and Thornes Park Athletic Stadium for athletics. In addition all Year 1 and 2 children swim once a week using a local pool.

At Prep children are taught ball skills, gymnastics, dance, athletics, badminton and tennis during P.E. lessons.  In games the boys are taught football, rugby (tag) and cricket.  Girls are taught netball, hockey and rounders.  All children have a 30 minute lesson with 2 swimming teachers at Normanton Swimming Pool once a week.  The year 5 and 6 children are taught canoeing, sailing, kayaking and raft building at Pugneys Country Park the first half term and after Easter (when the water is a little warmer!)

House matches are an important part of school life at Cliff and all the games we teach are included as well as house cross-country where there are separate  Pre-Prep and Prep races.  A house swimming gala takes place during the Easter term at Normanton Swimming Pool where all children from Prep take part.  The highlight of the year is Sports Day which takes place at Thornes Park Athletic Stadium and involves the whole school from Nursery to Year 6 (and parents!)   Both field and track events are contested for the Sports Day Cup. Last year we included tug-of-war for the first time.   If the weather is wet we run the event on the indoor track area - a real bonus with the uncertainty of the English summer weather!

We take part in inter-school fixtures against local schools in both football and netball as well as tournaments.  As a member of ISA. we take part in the Northern Athletic Championships at Wigan and last year had a winner, Emily Gill in the U9’s 60m.  This year we will also be taking part in the cross-country championships.

Emily Gill (winner of the I.S.A. U9 60m) and sister Natalie (3rd in the ISA U11 High Jump) at Wigan 2008 with their certificates.

Raft building at Pugneys Country Park with Year 5 & 6

Rugby at College Grove